One shook the boxing world with a single mean punch, while the other emerged the best in a field featuring the finest in the Southeast Asian region.
Boxer Nonito Donaire Jr. and swimmer Miguel Molina did the country proud in the year just passed with their respective exploits done under the most trying times.
Donaire, 25, wrested the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown by destroying the myth of invincibility surrounding previously unbeaten champion Vic Darchinyan in their world title fight in Connecticut, USA.
Not to be outdone, the 23-year-old Molina bagged the Best Male Athlete award of the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and became the saving grace of a troubled Team Philippines’ campaign.
Together, the two, without doubt, served as the face of another remarkable season in Philippine sports, good enough reason for them to be named as the 2007 Athletes of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA).
Bested by Donaire and Molina for the prestigious award handed out by the country’s oldest media organization were boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao, golfer Frankie Miñoza, pool idol Ronnie Alcano and young Grandmaster Wesley So.
https://www.philstar.com/sports/2008/02/06/43111/donaire-molina-named-2007-top-athletes/
